


Take a Number (get in line)

by MarvelousMenagerie (HiddenOne)



Series: 2017 MCU Kink Bingo [3]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Auction, Happy Ending, M/M, MCU Kink Bingo, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro, POV Bucky Barnes, Pining, Steve Rogers is a Punk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-09
Updated: 2018-02-09
Packaged: 2019-03-15 20:39:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13621257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HiddenOne/pseuds/MarvelousMenagerie
Summary: When bidding stalls out for Tony's item at the charity auction, the auctioneer asks Tony to offer a kiss to the winner to sweeten the deal. Tony agrees, laughing and smiling and blowing kisses to the crowd. He makes it a show and drives the bids up, because after all this is for charity.And Bucky... Bucky is thinking of the nest egg he has tucked away, and whether or not this is his chance.





	Take a Number (get in line)

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to Politzania/polizwrites (AO3/tumblr) for the wonderful beta!
> 
> WARNING: There is a sheen of heteronormativity in this fic. There are no comments or looks of disgust directed at Tony & Bucky (no outright homophobia) but there are a few startled glances, the auctioneer's phrasing, things like that. 
> 
> Also, this was 100% inspired by Charlize Theron offering a kiss to the winner of her charity auction. I'm counting this as my 'free' space on the MCU Kink Bingo card!

 

“Do you want to consider not stuffing your face and doing your job for maybe five minutes?”

Bucky grins at Natasha through a mouthful of what might’ve been crab. Or maybe something that’s supposed to taste like crab but isn’t, like one of those food disguises that are meant to be ‘fun.’ He had stopped paying attention to the little placards of explanation an hour ago and just was sampling whatever was in his radius.

“What do you need me for? You’re doing a spectacular job,” Bucky explains after he swallows, eyes wide and innocent. “Besides, I  _ am _ on assignment. Tony said he wanted feedback on whether this caterer could handle feeding two supersoldiers, but Steve’s worried about getting food all over himself so...”

“Maybe you should follow his lead,” Natasha murmurs with an eyebrow raised at his chest.

Bucky looks down and brushes at his shirt and lapels, but he doesn’t see any crumbs or grease stains. Besides, what good is wearing black on black if it doesn’t hide things like that? Though the outfit had earned him a second glance and a wink from Tony, which didn’t hurt.

Not that Bucky had been able to see much of Tony all night, or even talk to him, since Tony gets surrounded at events like these. And no, that doesn’t bother Bucky at all...

Natasha smirks at him, and then loops her arm through his. “Come on. You need to attempt your official assignment of mingling or Fury will book you for more etiquette lessons.”

Bucky grumbles but walks away from the buffet table without further protest.

“There’s only a few more minutes,” Natasha soothes as she leads him around. 

“Doesn’t seem worth the effort then,” Bucky sighs. The other guests give them polite nods while carefully avoiding eye contact so as not to be drawn into conversation, though several dare to glance at the gleam of the silver metal that is his left hand.

Bucky catches Steve’s gaze, across the crowd, and Steve tilts his head in question. Bucky shakes his head, glaring to emphasize, because he does not need Steve’s backup or support or whatever Steve is thinking. Bucky can handle this… probably. 

Bucky sighs again. Why couldn’t he be Natasha’s shield from unwanted conversation back at the buffet table?

“I want a good view,” Natasha explains.

“Are you plannin’ to bid?” Bucky questions as they move closer to the stage.

“Aren’t you?”

There isn’t anything on the docket that interests Bucky, especially at the prices he would have to pay to win. Of course, the expense is part of the point - every item up for bid at the auction has been donated, with the money of the purchase going towards charity. Tony had donated courtside tickets to a Knicks game, Thor had donated Asgardian currency, and Steve had donated a year’s supply of pie from his favorite diner. Fortunately Bucky hadn’t had to think of something on his own; the Big Three Avengers were all that were needed as individuals. However, the Avengers team had donated as well - a photoshoot with the team in full gear and tour of the Tower - and so Bucky had to both come to the auction for publicity  _ and _ the photoshoot. He’s not looking forward to it.

Bucky watches with disinterest as the auction begins, the auctioneer doing their best to get the crowd excited about the first item. 

Thousands. The bids are on the order of thousands of dollars. It doesn’t come as a surprise given Bucky’s knowledge of the guest list, but it still makes him reel that an autographed baseball can go for so much especially when the player is still alive.

It’s for charity, he reminds himself. 

The auction continues, and Steve’s pie goes for eighty thousand dollars to a man who looks like he’d sneer at the concept of a diner, but who is Bucky to judge? Thor’s Asgardian pieces go high, over one hundred thousand, and Bucky hides a smirk since he knows what the Asgardian currency is actually worth in Asgard: about a buck and half. The Avengers photoshoot goes for a solid price of seventy-five thousand, and Bucky dreads the day that the winner comes to collect. 

There are a few more auction pieces, and then Tony’s basketball tickets are one of the last items to be bid on. 

Bucky winces when the bids stagnate at thirty thousand. It’s still a lot of money, and more than he would ever pay for basketball tickets, but it seems paltry in comparison to the previous ‘walk-on spot in a TV show’ that went for over one hundred thousand. 

“Maybe we need to sweeten the pot a little, Mr. Stark,” the auctioneer coaxes as he scans the crowd for any higher bids. “You’re single now, aren’t you?”

Bucky goes cold.

Tony barks out a laugh from where he stands, close to the front of the stage. “Prostitution is still frowned upon, or did I miss something? That seems like something I would know , ” he calls out, and the crowd laughs. 

“Now, now, I’m only thinking a kiss for the winner,” the auctioneer chides with a grin. “Anything else you get up to is none of our business!”

Tony laughs and hops up onto the stage to the cheers of the audience. He beams at the crowd and makes kissing faces. 

“That’s a terrible thing to do t’ a guy,” Bucky whispers to Natasha. He grinds his teeth as he notes that despite the smile, the lines around Tony’s eyes are tight and strained. Of course Tony’s donation isn’t enough, they’re going to make Tony sell himself here, too. 

Natasha hums in sympathy.

Tony leans over to the microphone. “Alright you voyeurs. To the lucky winner of the courtside tickets to the Knicks game, let’s throw in a kiss by yours truly… and the promise that if it leads to any public indecency charges that I’ll post the bail for the both of us,” Tony quips with a wink.

The auctioneer takes the microphone back and chuckles. “Alright, ladies, any takers? We’re looking for forty thousand, forty thousand dollars.”

Bucky both is and is not astonished to see the bids skyrocket. Women cheer as they raise their hands for their bids, whether or not they’re standing next to a date or wearing a ring. 

“It’s only a kiss,” Natasha reminds him as Bucky curses them out under his breath. “If you’re so worried about him, why don’t you bid?”

Bucky glares at her, his heart lurching in his chest. He does have a nest egg, HYDRA funds that Tony had diverted to him so that Bucky didn’t have to worry about financial concerns while he considered the job offer from SHIELD. He has yet to touch it, but if he wanted to swim with the sharks here in the room…

“Why don’t you?” Bucky accuses, too harsh.

Natasha gives him a smile that has pity tugging down its edges. Bucky flushes , already knowing what she’s going to say.

“I don’t have any desire to kiss Tony.” 

Up on stage, Tony levels the crowd with his smouldering eyes. He blows kisses, he winks, he twirls and shows off while the auctioneer calls for bid upon bid. Tony even ups the promise kiss from seven seconds to a full twenty.

Bucky drums his fingers on his thigh and licks his lips as the bids increase. Eighty thousand, ninety, over a hundred thousand dollars. 

Bucky has that much. He could bid. 

Does Tony want him to bid? Is kissing a fellow Avenger better or worse than kissing a stranger? It isn’t like he’s had the chance to ask Tony out yet - or, well, he’s had the  _ chance _ , just not the guts. Is he really going to find it here, now, in front of this crowd, just to lay one on Tony so that someone else doesn’t steal his chance?

“Now or never, Barnes,” Natasha murmurs and Bucky elbows her on principle for her meddling.

Bidding slows down, with two remaining women vying for the final bid. Tony is still smiling, and then he’s looking out into the crowd. He sees Natasha, blows her a kiss, and then he meets Bucky’s gaze. 

Bucky sees the twitch of Tony’s shoulders, a shrug disguised, and the quick uptick of one side of his mouth. It’s more a look of resignation than a call for help. Tony is fine, Tony will be fine, and all of this is all for the show, for the entertainment, for the charity. Tony isn’t signaling distress, isn’t expecting a rescue, but is that because Tony thinks it wouldn’t come even if he wanted out?

Does Tony think that Bucky wouldn’t, that Bucky isn’t interested? Or somehow, in that genius brain of his, will Tony use this as evidence that Bucky can’t actually care, can’t possibly be worth going out with, all because Bucky is too chickenshit to raise his hand and kiss the guy?

Bucky shoots his hand in the air, and then he watches Tony’s eyes go wide. 

One hundred and thirty thousand dollars.

For a kiss from Tony Stark. 

At least Natasha isn’t laughing out loud beside him. 

The auctioneer accepts Bucky’s bid with only a minor pause. He calls out for a higher bid, tacking on another five thousand, scanning the crowd.

Instead of looking at Tony, Bucky stares down the woman he had outbid. She bites her lip, manages to meet Bucky’s icy glare for two seconds, and then shakes her head. 

Bucky wins.

“And the winner of the Knicks’ tickets and a kiss from Tony Stark is a fellow Avenger!” the auctioneer calls out, striking the gavel to signal the end of bidding. 

There’s a titter of awkward laughter through the crowd as everyone turns to Bucky. He flushes at the attention, the weight of their eyes makes him wish for the solid weight of a knife or gun in his hands. Then Steve is suddenly at Bucky’s side, and Bucky jerks at the movement before relaxing. 

“You alright, Buck? You don’t have to do this, we can handle it differently.”

“Come up and claim your kiss, Barnes! You’ve won me, fair and square,” Tony calls out. 

The bright, delighted grin on Tony’s face has relief smothering regret in Bucky’s body. He nods at Steve, though Steve’s hand hovers over Bucky’s shoulder, unsure.  

“Let him kiss his man,” Natasha teases, nudging him forward, and Bucky hates how gentle she is but he appreciates it anyway. 

The crowd parts for Bucky as he moves to the stage. He keeps his eyes locked on Tony, though his fingers do slip toward a knife tucked into the waistband of his pants. Previous experience has taught him that gaining this much attention usually results in bad news. 

There are no further obstacles, though, and Bucky vaults onto the stage and then stands in front of Tony. 

“Fancy meeting you here,” Tony drawls. 

Bucky grins and ducks his head, running a hand through his hair. “You okay?” he asks, quiet, raising his head to meet Tony’s gaze. He gestures to the crowd. “With all this?” He ignores the way the skin on the back of his neck is prickling from the stares of the crowd. 

The ‘are you okay with  _ me _ ?’ question gets stuck in his throat.

The auctioneer is getting the crowd on board with calling out the timing and the seconds, most of the crowd has pulled out their phones to record. But Bucky has no issue with walking away leaving everyone wanting, and he’s sure Steve would help. Bucky’s the winner and he’ll claim his kiss (or not, if Tony really isn’t on board) anytime he wants. 

“Performance issues, or just shy?” Tony teases. Then he steps up to Bucky, and Bucky can feel the heat of him even without touching. “Lay it on me, Barnes. Show me that ol’ 40’s charm of yours, or ‘from Russia with love,’ whatever works for you.”

Bucky tamps down his grin so that when he leans down to kiss Tony, he meets Tony’s lips properly. It’s soft, chaste, gentle. A respectable public kiss, one that he  _ paid _ for, Bucky reminds himself, as he hears the crowd start counting the time. 

Bucky’s eyes are closed, but he can still see the flashes of light from the photos being taken. 

Then Tony nudges closer, presses against Bucky. A hand comes up to cradle Bucky’s jaw, and then Tony opens his mouth under Bucky’s. 

Bucky isn’t strong enough to resist the invitation, audience be damned. Bucky falls into Tony, dusting off every trick he remembers about using his tongue and teeth and lips to get Tony to melt against him - and dear God, does it Not Work. Tony meets him, bite for bite, stroke for stroke, pushing the kiss into hot and dirty territory that has Bucky’s knees going weak. 

Now Bucky knows what it’s like to be  _ kissed _ by Tony Stark.

So Bucky hangs on, tries to give as good as he gets. He pulls Tony closer, wraps an arm around his waist. He rests a hand just above Tony’s ass, a tease to match the way that Tony perfectly positions a thigh between Bucky’s legs. 

There’s an inappropriate amount of fire racing through Bucky’s veins for being on a stage in front of a crowd who will sell all their photographs and videos to whatever news outlet will take them. That still doesn’t stop Bucky groaning for everyone to hear as Tony flicks his tongue just right against Bucky’s. 

“And that’s a full twenty seconds!” the auctioneer shouts, landing a heavy hand on Bucky’s shoulder. “That was quite a kiss, huh?”

There’s a fraction of a second where Bucky considers cutting the man’s hand off at the wrist. Then Bucky remembers where he is and steps back, a bit dazed. His moment is over.

Tony smirks up at Bucky, his eyes dark and lips slick and swollen. Bucky would empty his entire account to do it again. 

The crowd still cheers, but Bucky distinguishes Wilson cat-calling them from the side. Bucky glares in that direction, but then Tony rubs a thumb against his bottom lip, and Bucky is distracted. Tony grins, sharp and wicked, and drags them over to the auctioneer’s microphone. 

“Next time, ladies and gents, make sure to cough up your money. Now, whoever took the best videos and pictures better send them to me so I get a copy. I’m counting on you!” 

Tony blows a kiss to the crowd and then leads Bucky off stage. Bucky manages to not stumble as he follows, and then it’s a breath of relief as the attention of the crowd shifts from them back to the stage as the auctioneer introduces the last item for bidding. 

Tony manages to find a quiet, tucked away corner and the last of the tension drains from Bucky’s shoulders.

Tony grins up at him. “Well  _ that _ was fantastic and worth every dollar. I hope so, at least on your end. Did you get your money’s worth, or do you want a loan?”

“‘M good for it,” Bucky murmurs, wondering if he’s crowding too close to Tony. It’s harder to think of anything that isn’t leaning down and kissing Tony again, especially now without an audience or a time limit.

“Well, good. Great!” Tony says, his gaze sweeping Bucky’s face and landing on his lips. “Anytime you want to do that again, let me know.”

“Yeah?” Bucky presses, leaning closer. “Is now good for you?”

Tony’s bright grin is quick but obvious before he turns it into something teasing. “Now? I’d hate for you to think I’m fast…” 

Bucky edges closer, curls around Tony while he watches for any sign that he’s unwelcome. He doesn’t see any. “Well if you want to wait until after the basketball game...” Bucky sighs in jest. 

Tony tilts his head in confusion.

Bucky blinks at him and suddenly his chest is tight with nerves. “I got two tickets, right? You’re coming with me… right?”

“A date?” Tony questions, staring at Bucky like he’s having trouble processing. 

There are three good exits from Bucky’s currently position. Jumping out the window is a risky backup, but Bucky might choose that one because it’s the most rapid departure.

Bucky manages a short nod.

Tony’s grin is too bright to be contained this time. He tries to tamp it down as he rambles, but can’t quite manage. “Yeah, uh, okay. Sure, I think my schedule is free. If it’s not I’ll make it free and, yeah. Sounds fun. Good. Okay.”

“Yes?” 

“Yes,” Tony confirms.

They smile at each other for several more moments, and then Tony’s forehead wrinkles like it does when he’s working on a particularly complicated problem.

“You aren’t going to wait until after the game to kiss me again, right? I didn’t agree to that part, did I? Because I was teasing about the ‘fast’ thing, I mean, I think that secret’s been blown, you know, there are papers, so anytime you feel like you want to lay one on me,  _ please _ feel free to -”

Bucky grins, so hard that his face hurts. 

“I’m gonna kiss you now, so shut up.”

“Bucky!”

“Damn it,” Bucky mutters because that was  _ Steve _ . He turns to see Steve striding toward them and managing to attract curious bystanders along the way because Steve couldn’t do stealthy to save his life. Seeing Natasha try not to giggle in the crowd, one of many in Steve’s wake, isn’t helping at all either.

“Oh no, is he going to chew me out to protect your virtue?” Tony asks as he makes to step back.

Bucky tugs Tony closer and glares at Steve because Bucky had this, he did. He has a  _ date _ and he was about to get another kiss, too, and Steve really didn’t need to barge in. 

“What?” Bucky throws at Steve.

“We’re going to get enough heat from Fury with that show you and Tony gave earlier, we don’t need  _ more _ ,” Steve sighs, aiming for disapproving and almost managing it except for that glint in his eyes that has Bucky steeling himself. “And really, Buck, was that your first kiss since 1943?” Steve shakes his head, sad. “A bit pathetic.”

Tony muffles his laugher into Bucky’s chest, which manages to not be a nice experience. He’ll have to find a way to make Tony beg for forgiveness later, if that’s even possible, and hopefully with a plan that involves more kissing.

Bucky glares at Steve. “And just who have you been tonguing lately, you jerk?”

“A gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell,” Steve sniffs.

“Not sure what that’s got to do with you.”

“At least my conquests aren’t plastered all over the internet right now,” Steve argues.

Tony barks out a laugh. “Well let me offer up the evidence that  _ this _ conquest is very, very pleased. Ten out of ten, A+, would recommend and will try again.”

Bucky smirks at Steve, then lets Tony tug him back down into a kiss that’s escalates past dirty into downright obscene.

“Alright, alright, please stop!” Steve cries.

They don’t.


End file.
